Closure cap



Dec. 17, 1929. A. c. sPAHN 1,739,659

LosunE cAP Filed Feb. 1o. 192e Patented Dec. 17, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIcE AUGUST C. SPAHN, F IlilVANSVllLLE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO BERNARDIN BOTTLE CAP COMPANY, 0F EVANSVIITLE, INDIANA, A CORPORATION 0F INDIANA v CLOSUQ'E CAP Application led February 10, 1928. Serial No. 253,308.

The'invention relates to closure` caps of the type which are adapted to frict1onally grip a substantially straight cylindrical side` l wall adjacent the upper end of a rigid container.

The objectof the invention is 'to provideA permit fluid under pressure to escape, while the cap is being applied to the container.

The invention consists in the several novel features hereinafter. set forth` and more particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings Fig.- 1 is a vertical section of a cap embodying the invention. Fig2 is a side elevation. Fig. 3 is a plan, a portion of the cap being broken away.

The invention is exemplified in a cap formed of slightly resilient sheet metal, and comprises a top wall 4 and a depending integral annular skirt 5. The skirt is formed with a series of annular corrugations 6 havu ing inner and outer reversely curved crowns.

There are suflicient of these corrugations to' form a plurality (preferably three) of inner crowns to form substantially continuous annular frictional container-gripping surfaces 7 which are spaced apart vertically, so that the straight wall portion 8a of the container 8 will be frictionally gripped on lines or zones spaced apart vertically. The lower margin of the skirt extends outwardly from the lowermost gripping surface 7, as at 9, and its lower edge is doubled upon itself, as at l0, to form a reinforced or stiffened lower edge. A disk 11 of paraiiin paper or other suitable material is interposed between the upper margin of the rim of the container and the top 4 of the cap, as well `understood in the art.

The gripping surfaces 7 are vertically aligned, so that normally they all frictionally grip the container with substantially the same force. By providing a plurality of these gripping surfaces, the gripping force will be cumulated according to the number of such surfaces, so that the cap will be securely held on thecontainer.

Y tainer while the material is cooling, and un- 5 them, the fluid is caused to pass circumferen- In applying friction caps to containers which are filled with hot material, such -as jelly, it is advantageous to provide a vent to permit the pressure to escape from the contil the cap is seated in its final position on the container. For this purpose, each of the corrugations 6 is vertically indented, as at 6, These indentations areout of vertical alignment or` relatively staggered so the fluid will escape through the upper indent 6a, thence through the annular space or channel between the two upper gripping surfaces 7, thence through the indent 6a in the central gripping surface 7, thence through the channel between the twol lower surfaces 7, and thencel through the indent 6a in the lower gripping surface 7. By forming theindent 6a out of vertical alignment or staggering tially and vertically around the container so that the stream will not be localizedon the container. Furthermore, the slight interruptions in the gripping surfaces caused by the indents are out of vertical line, so that there will be no ungripped portion of the container extending vertically throughout the length of thefskirt of the cap.

In practice, when it'is desired to remove thevcap, it is customary to strike the lower edge 9 of the cap to produce a peening effect on the metal forming the gripping surfaces which will cause them to relax sufficiently to permit the cap to be removed from the container. This striking of the margin has a more direct peening effect'upon the metal forming the lowermost gripping surface and less of such effect on the surfaces v located more remotely from the lower edge. As a result the resilience of the uppermost gripping surface will remain effective to frictionally grip the container after the cap has been removed and is replaced.l I-f the convided without a skirt of nunwieldy height.

The invention exemplifies a closure cap of the frictionally gripping type for straight cylindrical metal containers in which the frictional gripping of a plurality of annular surfaces against the straight side of the container is cumulated to securely retain the cap on the container in which provision' is made for the escape of iluid under pressure while the cap is on, but not finally seated on, the container.

The invention is not to be understood as restricted to the details set forth, since these may be modified within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention,v what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: i

l. A closure cap for containers having a substantially straight cylindrical side Wall adjacent its upper end, comprising a top and a depending integral skirt of resilient metal, the skirt having annular corrugations with rounded inner crowns forming a plurality of substantially continuousannular frictional container-gripping surfaces which are spaced apart vertically, the inner crowns having deflections to form vent passages for the escape of pressure from the container While the cap is partially applied.

2. A closure cap for containers having a substantially straight cylindrical side wall adjacent its upper end, comprising a top and a depending integral skirt of resilient metal, the skirt having annular corrugations with rounded inner crowns forming a plurality of substantially continuous annular frictional container-gripping surfaces which are spaced apart vertically, the inner crowns having deflections out of vertical alignment and serially connecting the annular spaces between the gripping surfaces to form vent passages for the escape of pressure from the container while the cap is partially applied.

Signed at Evansville, Indiana, this 30th day of January, 1928.

AUGUST C. SPAI-IN. 

